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1 of 12We took both gasoline and diesel-powered versions of the upcoming 2014 Mazda 6 sedan for a spin following the 2012 Paris motor show.

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2 of 12The 2014 Mazda 6 is a great handler no matter which engine sits under the hood. The sedan whips though corners with aplomb, and steering feedback is sportier than what its competitors deliver.

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3 of 12The 2014 Mazda 6 sedan's styling is similar to that found on the Mazda 6 wagon, which debuted at the Paris motor show. We won't get the wagon, but the sedan should hit U.S. dealer lots in January 2013.

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4 of 12The redesigned interior is a vast improvement over the plasticky feel of the previous-generation Mazda 6, although wind noise was noticeable in the pre-production model we drove.

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5 of 12The 2014 Mazda 6 also boasts a longer wheelbase than its predecessor, so passengers will get a bit more rear-seat legroom.

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6 of 12The 2014 Mazda 6 sedan will get both a 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G gasoline engine and a 2.2-liter turbodiesel Skyactiv-D. That diesel won't be headed to the U.S. market -- at least not at launch.

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7 of 12A view of the new 2014 Mazda 6 sedan interior in black.

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8 of 12The new 2014 Mazda 6 sedan in white following the Paris motor show.

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9 of 12Swoopy side lines mark the 2014 Mazda 6 sedan and its Kodo design language.

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10 of 12The new 2014 Mazda 6 sedan in front of a Parisian chateau following the Paris motor show.

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11 of 12The 2014 Mazda 6 door panels reflect the higher level of design found throughout the new car.

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12 of 12The display screen on the new Mazda 6 will be familiar to anyone who's driven a CX-5 crossover.

Finally coming clean on one of the worst-kept secrets of the year, Mazda officially announced the Skyactiv-D version of the Mazda 6 at the Los Angeles Auto Show yesterday. When it goes on sale next summer, the 2.2-liter turbodiesel 6 will become the first non-German-powered diesel sedan in American showrooms since the late 1980s.

Make no mistake: This is a big deal.

In a country such as the U.S. where diesel-car market penetration is still miniscule, Mazda's Skyactiv diesel has two key things working in its favor: First, it's the only affordable diesel offered by an automaker other than Volkswagen. But VW has gained, deservedly or not, a sketchy reliability reputation in the last decade that's proven hard to shake. Potential diesel buyers who are wary of Volkswagen have thus far purchased hybrids simply because there weren't any other options for fuel-sippers. While Mazda hasn't yet earned the PR halo of Toyota or Honda, it consistently receives high marks from independent rating organizations and professional reviewers alike, meaning green-leaning car buyers will now have a diesel option from an automaker without quality baggage.

Second and more importantly, the performance of this Mazda diesel engine is going to surprise many drivers, even those accustomed to Volkswagen's outstanding TDI models. Simply put, it acts a lot like a regular gasoline engine. I'm not referring to its lack of the traditional diesel smell, smoke or rattle—automakers and fuel refiners for the most part exorcised those demons years ago. Rather, I'm talking about the Skyactiv-D's rev-happy nature, which will be foreign to most diesel drivers—and seem perfectly normal to the average midsize-sedan buyer. Thus, Mazda neatly sidesteps consumer objections to driving something that “feels different,” whether it's a hybrid or a TDI. Your grandmother could borrow a diesel Mazda 6 sedan, turn the key and drive away without the foggiest notion she was piloting anything unique.

Volkswagen's diesels are good enough to have earned my business—and my Sportwagen TDI has proven flawless in 10 months of ownership, incidentally—but competition is bound to make diesel powertrains even better. When Chevrolet introduces the Cruze diesel in the U.S. next year, we'll have even more clean-diesel options to choose from. Each of them will achieve remarkable fuel-economy numbers without the complexity of a hybrid powertrain or the environmental implications surrounding battery manufacturing and disposal.

More importantly, at least for the enthusiast, is that Mazda has joined VW in the noble quest to prove a reasonably priced, highly efficient sedan can also be a ton of fun to drive.

Andrew Stoy
- Digital editor Andrew Stoy is an avid enthusiast of all cars who has spent the past 15 years writing about the automobile in print, online and for advertising and PR firms.
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